Every regular school getting a nurse next year

Every regular Palm Beach County School District-run public school would have its own school nurse under a new agreement reached with the Healthcare District of Palm Beach County.

The school board is slated to vote on the agreement, which would cost the school district about $2.7 million next year, on June 18.

The school district and the healthcare district have had a joint agreement since 2001 to share the costs of providing nurses in schools with the healthcare district shouldering most of the cost to provide 161 nurses while the school district funds another 34 nurses.

While most traditional schools have had at least one nurse for year, with some high schools and middle schools having two nurses, two regular schools were having to share a nurse and a group of five alternative schools had to share one part-time nurse.

Under the agreement two more nursing positions will be funded so every regular school will have its own dedicated full-time nurse on campus. The healthcare district is also increasing the one part-time position to a full-time position to be shared by the five alternative schools like Crossroads Academy.